I've been away from amateur radio for a bit, but just noticed that Allister has set up a 2m DV repeater in Edinburgh (same site as GB7EE) that does DMR and DSTAR and Fusion. How has he done that? My best guess is that he's hacked a Fusion repeater to do the other two modes, but if anyone knows I'd be interested to hear the answer.

Looking at the 'equipment' section of the repeater's own website, it says they're using a ID-RP2000V D-STAR repeater http://dvscotland.net/gb7deequipment.html
So yes, it's just a single mode repeater into a multi protocol gateway reflector.

And yet the ukrepeater website says

This is a multi-mode DIGITAL VOICE repeater
This Digital Repeater has DMR capability cc:1 Connectivity: BRANDMEISTER
This Digital Repeater has D-STAR capability.
This Digital Repeater has C4FM/FUSION capability.

Who ever sent the email , thanks . I don’t usually look at this board regularly , only when I need some info or am trying to flog some junk off !

Anyway thanks for the interest in GB7DE the Edinburgh VHF Multimode Digital repeater.

At the moment the repeater is working on the original Icom RP2000V VHF RF Deck and the RP2C controller. It is actually controlled by a raspberry Pi running in to the Scottish D-Star reflector system .

For a while we were experimenting with a multimode that would sense the incoming transmission type and re transmit ( repeat ) on the same mode.
So if you transmit in to the repeater on D-Star you came out on D-Star , in on fusion ( DMR for amateurs !) and out on fusion, in on DMR and out on DMR it also worked on P25

There was no connection to any gateways or reflectors other than the D-Star network and that was quite problematic trying to get it working properly from a remote location rather than on site.
The issue was that the repeater was installed on an ad hoc when the Icom kit was not working properly and was probably in breach of the Notice of Licence variation documents even though no one used the other modes until after it was licensed ( Phew ! ) , so we re designated it as a multimode to keep it with in the regulations . It does not have to have all the modes available all the time, but it CAN have the modes available when its operating if we feel like it .

The medium term plan is to re institute the multimode repeater on VHF , enabled for D-Star and connected to the D-Star network defaulting to the DCS600A Scottish reflector, DMR connected to the DMR - MARC network rather than Brandmeister as the UHF repeater is on BM and MARC offers another range of connectivity options . The dual band DMR hand helds are out now as well so that helps make VHF DMR viable and one les radio to carry ! Fusion will be stand alone at this time till we see what the data implications are of connecting to that network . P25 experimenters that have VHF radio’s please get in touch , we have a special job for you !

The FM analogue repeater GB3ED is working well on another Tait Slim line repeater but the antenna’s are really shot after 40 years on the roof with coax thats full of water . When we sort that out it will hopefully become a dual mode Fusion / Analog box probably linked to an IRLP network using GM1PLY's node

Ah, that explains the apparent discrepancy between the dvscotland.net website and the ukrepeater.net website, thanks Allister. It was the launch of the new TYT dual-band DMR HT that got me looking around for 2m DMR repeaters, an interesting time indeed to be a digital radio amateur.

It seems as if there are more amateur radio repeaters that amateurs that operate them some times !

The dual band handles for DMR seem to be creating some interest , they will certainly make one less radio to carry and offer more extensive "scanning/ Listening" facilities than the amateur offerings.

We think there may be increased use on VHF if the DE repeater offered other modes in addition to D-Star but we won't know till we try it !

Regards Allister

DE is a reasonable signal with me but currently, I only have C4FM available as Dual band. I have DMR on 70cms though and am interested in the TYT Dual band handie too. I would however prefer a mobile version with a bit more power output. Supposedly coming but like many of these announcements, pictures of something and the real deal are proving to be very very different!